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Three days of celebration for Leonard Howell at Pinnacle

Published:Saturday | June 17, 2023 | 12:27 AM
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An artist’s impression of Leonard P. Howell, widely regarded as the first Rasta and the settler of the first Rastafarian village in Jamaica, located at Pinnacle in St Catherine.
An artist’s impression of Leonard P. Howell, widely regarded as the first Rasta and the settler of the first Rastafarian village in Jamaica, located at Pinnacle in St Catherine.
Ras Drick-I (centre), greets a group on arrival at Pinnacle on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. They were among numerous Rastafarians who visited Pinnacle to celebrate the ‘earthstrong’ of Leonard Percival Howell, who is regarded as the founder of the Rastafa
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Ras Drick-I (centre), greets a group on arrival at Pinnacle on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. They were among numerous Rastafarians who visited Pinnacle to celebrate the ‘earthstrong’ of Leonard Percival Howell, who is regarded as the founder of the Rastafarian movement in Jamaica.
The plaque at Pinnacle mounted by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust declaring the former home of Leonard Howell a protected national heritage site.
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The plaque at Pinnacle mounted by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust declaring the former home of Leonard Howell a protected national heritage site.
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A weekend of activities to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the birth of Leonard Percival Howell, widely considered to be the founder and father of the Rastafari Movement in Jamaica, kicked off on Friday afternoon at Pinnacle in Sligoville, St Catherine

Coordinated by the Leonard Percival Howell Foundation, day two of the jubilee on Saturday will be defined by drumming and chanting from the Nyahbinghi mansion of Rastafari from about 12 p.m. and this will probably go on until nightfall.

On day three at Pinnacle, Sunday, June 18, which is being celebrated as Father’s Day, there will be a drumming presentation from Boboshanti priests courtesy of the Ethiopia Africa Black International Congress.

Michael Barnett, a lecturer at The University of the West Indies, and one of the organisers, shared that later in the day there will be a special roots reggae cultural tribute to Howell courtesy of several selectors, such as DJ Marshmello and DJ Mikey Mystic, as well as live performances from reggae artistes, many of whom are notably members of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

“Artistes, such as Fred Locks, and ‘Israel Voice’ for instance will be performing among others. Admission to this event is also free to one and all. Donations towards the building and renovation fund for the House of Dread are welcome though,” Barnett said.

Percival Howell has the distinction of being one of the first Jamaicans to preach to the public of the divinity of Haile Selassie, after he was crowned on November 2, 1930 as the King of Kings, Lord of Lords and conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

Specifically, Howell preached that Haile Selassie was the second coming of Jesus Christ, and thus God in the flesh. Leonard Howell also had the distinction of founding the first-ever Rastafari commune, (community), at Pinnacle in 1940. The Howellite community, as they came to be known, lived there relatively undisturbed until May 1954, when there was a massive raid by the police, under the pretext of the community growing ganja which was then a criminal offence.

On the first day of the three-day celebrations, there was drumming from some of the original Howellite Drummers who used to reside up at Pinnacle before the encampment was raided and destroyed in 1954.

After two subsequent raids – (1956 and 1958)– all of the Rastafari residents at Pinnacle were evicted and relocated to various regions around the island, but mainly in St Thomas and in Tredegar Park in St Catherine.

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